I was super excited when I first heard about the new Pelican Hardback Cases back at SHOT Show. I’m a die hard fan of my iPad, and I use it for a wide variety of things, from reading books and playing games to researching gear on the web and responding to email. With the hours of use my iPad gets every day, and the amount of travel I do with it, even if that’s just to a coffee shop, I really need to make sure it’s kept safe.

The HardBack Cases feature all the toughness that Pelican is known for. I’m not a military man myself, but we have some ex-military guys here at GearExpert by OpticsPlanet, and I get word from time to time from soldiers who have thrown Pelican Cases loaded with life saving equipment from helicopters with NO damage done. That’s huge. You don’t find hard cases for guns and other gear much tougher than Pelican. And it’s not just the strength of the cases. The designers clearly take into account a ton of potential situations, so their cases are waterproof, dust-proof and have pressure-stabilizing valves that keep your gear from damage due to the high pressure gear can go through on planes.

But most of these cases are for tactical gear. Gear that’s meant to be super tough already. I’m not saying my iPad isn’t tough, but AR-15s are built to take punishment on a whole other level. So Pelican has made some adjustments and developed the HardBack Case. There are a few different models available that are specific for various electronics, from smaller tablets to larger laptops.

But why should you use a Pelican HardBack Case?

Crushproof Protection- There are a lot of cases that will protect an iPad in case you drop it, but they won’t keep it safe if you need to pack some gear on top of it. If you’re throwing gear in the trunk of your car and have the Pelican 1075 HardBack Case you can put heavy gear on top of it without worrying about damage.

HardBack Case with iPad keyboard and charger

Extra Functionality – A little while back I bought a leather iPad case with a built-in bluetooth keyboard. I don’t mind the touchscreen keyboard, but I type faster with a real keyboard. Buying this case was a mistake though. To save on space and add protection the keyboard wasn’t very large and the keys were rubbery rather than firm like a traditional keyboard. It was actually quicker to type on the screen than with the unresponsive keyboard. With a HardBack Case you can actually put in an Apple bluetooth keyboard and it’ll be protected the same as your iPad. You can also fit in power cables and more, and the foam padding was designed to hold up your tablet so you can use it like a traditional laptop! Check out the photo above that we took at SHOT Show. That’s really cool and isn’t something you’re going to get with 99% of other cases out there!

Waterproof- I love the water. I love lakes, fishing, swimming, water skiing and more. A day out with my friends and family just soaking in some sun is my favorite way to spend a summer day. But I like to have my iPad with me. Whether I want to do a little reading, snap some photos or email someone, it’s nice to have along. Most of my time on boats is with cousins, and their little kids love to mess around. Heck, I like to mess around with them, but that’s not a great situation for keeping your electronics safe. Even if the tablet doesn’t get knocked into the water, we might jump in and splash around enough to damage my gear. With my iPad in a HardBack CaseI don’t worry about it.

Pelican Hardback Case for Tablets

Easy to carry- One of the things I like most about my iPad is how slim and easy to carry it is. The last thing I want is an incredibly bulky case that takes away from its portability. The Pelican HardBack Caseis super easy to carry, and it looks great. Sure, it’s a bit bigger than the iPad itself, but it’s not going to get in the way, and the handle is nice. You can also attach a strap to make it that much easier to haul. If your hands are full with other things you’ll definitely love that strap!

Ipad standing in HardBack Case

The HardBack Case is tailored to YOUR Needs – I think the thing I like most about the Pelican HardBack Cases is that they’re not just some all-in-one case that is supposed to be perfect for everything but ends up being perfect for nothing. I’ve lost out on cases like that before. I know what I need. I don’t put a guitar in a rifle case or a pistol in a camera case. If you want top performance you need a great case that fits YOUR needs. Even one HardBack case to another is different and specially suited for a need. Take another look at the 1075 Case. There are three models available for that one case size. You can get Pick & Pluck Foam (my preference), a Netbook foam insert for a snugger fit around smaller laptops or a cushion insert for an outstanding amount of protection. If you need bigger, you can get it. I you want an extra compact model for an eReader, check out the 1065CC HardBack Case. That’s a tiny case with big protection (okay, that was a bad line, but it’s true so I’m leaving it!).

That’s just five reasons in addition to the great quality of every Pelican Case. I could have run through some more great features that are common to most of their cases, but these are MY top 5 Reasons to Get a Pelican HardBack Case. Tell me what you love about it in the comments and maybe next time I’ll write up 10 reasons. :)

Ok what is new Surefire has been making replacement forearms with lights for year for both Remington and Mossberg, problem is the cost low in being 300.00. You can get a replacement forearm with a rail and attach a 1 inch mount with a tac light a do the same thing. I set up 3 shotguns for what one would cost if I did a surefire replacement forearm.

That’s a great idea, and one we hope SureFire looks into as well! I will say this particular light is so ergonomic that an additional rail might make it too bulky, but there does seem to be room on the end for a rail. Maybe next years model will have further customization options.

This particular model and the intuitive and ergonomic design is what’s really new with the SureFire Mossberg Forend light. You certainly can buy a regular replacement forearm with a rail, but the great design on this light makes it much easier to turn on without changing your grip.